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Wedding planning is simultaneously one of the most exciting and stressful times in a person’s life. Even if you choose to go the whole hog and have a wedding planner, you’ll still be heavily involved in everything, from the favors to the food. However, just as with planning any big event, you are likely to face some problems along the way that you didn’t necessarily expect. If everything does go smoothly when you’re planning your wedding, you must be some kind of miracle worker! But don’t despair if things go wrong during your planning stages, or even on the day. There are always things you can do to rectify the situation. Plus, although it may be easier said than done, it’s important not to lose your head! Staying calm and rational can be the difference between pulling off your dream wedding or remembering your big day as nothing but stress. With this in mind, take a look at the most common wedding planning disasters, and the steps you can take to avoid them.

Booking Anything (yes, anything) before Deciding on the Guest List
You would be surprised at how many people plan nearly enough their entire wedding before even deciding on the guest list. Of course, it might seem like one of the most boring jobs to do with your big day. No one really wants to spend an evening sifting through people’s names (or Facebook profiles, as is the modern way) trying to decide who to invite and who to put where. But doing it sooner rather than later could save you from a multitude of eventual problems that can arise later down the line. So much of your wedding depends on the amount of guests you are having – the size of the venue you book, to your catering bill. Deciding on your guest list can also help decide the ‘vibe’ of the wedding. You may have a lot of friends and extended family, but ultimately, you may simply want a smaller, more intimate affair. It’s your wedding, so it’s your call. But it’s best to decide on numbers as early as possible, so you can build the rest of your day around you and your guests.

The Venue Ends up Being a Let-DownBooking a wedding venue is arguably the most difficult part of planning a wedding – probably because so much is riding on it. Also, it tends to be one the most expensive parts of your big day. Studies have shown that the average American couple spends up to $15,000 on a place to host their wedding. For this amount of money, it’s only natural that you would want to make sure it ticks every box. Most venues priced at this level are all-inclusive venues. This means that they provide everything, from the service to the ceremony. They also usually provide decor, food, drink and even accommodation. This is a very tempting option for many brides and grooms as it relieves a lot of the pressure, but what happens if some of it goes wrong. For example, you may have put your deposit down only to view the reception room dressed and find that you hate the decor. Remember that whilst repainting the whole place is out of the question, there will be some room for negotiation. If you hate the chairs, see if you can bring in a company like CTC Event Furniture to provide seating for the night. Or if the table linen is something out of the 60s, offer to provide your own instead. Plus, you may get a little bit of money knocked off the rental if you’re not using all the facilities.

Going Over Budget
Budgeting for a wedding is one of a bride’s most hated tasks – but, it has to be done. You may set yourself what you think is a reasonable amount – even one that’s a little ostentatious – then find yourself overspending hugely. The problem with weddings is that at the time, you feel as though EVERYTHING is the most important thing and it’s impossible to give anything up. Of course, it’s only natural that you want things to be perfect. But consider what is actually going to matter to you in a year’s time. Will the fact that the ribbons on the bouquets aren’t the shade you wanted really affect your big day? Or do you really need a cake that costs $500 AND $500 shoes too? If you are still having trouble making decisions, call an independent adjudicator in. This could be a friend, or even a colleague, who will be able to offer an objective view on everything.